Combined cutter, agitator, and crusher for dredges



Sept. 26, 1939. P. Y. ISBELL 2,174,323

COMBINED CUTTER, AGITATOR. AND CRUSHER FORY-DREDGES Filed March 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor faa/ Yjje A fiorncys Sept. 26,1939. .SBELL 2,114,323

COMBINED CUTTER, AGITAT-OR. AND CRUSHER FOB DREDGES Filed March 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor fau/ ZZLQ// p 1939. P. Y. ISBELL 2, 4,323

cousmnn human, AGITATOR, AND Cfi'USX-IER run mmnens Filed March 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet s In ventor PM/ Yj hafl By @Mm- A itorncys Sept. 26, 1939. P, Y BEL 2,174,323

COMBINED CUTTER. AGITAT-OB, AND CRUSHER FOB DREDGES Filed March 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mnnnmnnnnnnnnnl In venior Patented Sept. 26, 1939 COMBINED CUTTER, AGITATOR, AND CRUSHER FOR'DREDGES Paul Y. Isbell, Whitehaven, Tenn.

Application March 10, 1939, Serial No. 261,058

4 Claims.

This invention relates to suction type dredges and more particularly to a combined cutter, agitator and crusher for this type of dredge, and has for the primary object the provision of a power driven device of the above stated character which operates in conjunction with a suction bell of the dredge and adjustable relative thereto for cutting loose embedded gravel, sand and the like adjacent the mouth of the suction bell so as to be easily taken up by the suction from the bell and further crushing and thoroughly agitating the material while passing through the bell.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a combined cutter, agitator and crusher operating in conjunction with a suction bell and the suction pipe of the latter and constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the device in operative position.

Figure 3c is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the mounting of the power source and the means .of adjusting said power source to bring about adjustment of the combined cutter, agitator and crusher relative to the suction bell of the dredge.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the mounting of the power source.

Figure 5 is afragmentary side elevation illustrating the combined cutter, agitator andcrusher associated with the suction bell.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the same.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken through the suction bell.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a modified form of combined cutter, agitator and crusher.

Figure 9 is a side elevation illustrating one of the blades which go to make up the modified form of combined cutter, agitator and crusher.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a fragmentary portion of a dredge from which extends a suction pipe 6 car rying at the free end thereof a suction bell l composed of companion sections 8 and 9 detachably connected by bolts Ill. The section 8 has a throat or neck to receive the free end of the suctionpipe 6 while the section 9 is slightly offset from the suction pipe for the purpose of receiving part of the present invention. The section 8 has formed therein ribs or corrugations H. Extend ing from the throat or neck of the section 8 is a 5 bearing l2 aligning with an opening in the section 9. The suction pipe 6 is provided with a series of spaced bearings I3. Rotatably supported by the bearings l2 and I3 is a shaft I4 which extends from the suction bell l to a power source indim cated'generally by the character l5.

Mounted on the suction pipe 6 adjacent the latters connection to the dredge 5 is a frame If carrying a platform I! forming a support for the power source Hi. The frame 16 is disposed at an angle to the suction pipe and also the latter includes angularly related portions as clearly shown in Figure 1 for the purpose of readily bringing the mouth of the suction bell in engagement with the bottom when lowered in the water, as shown in Figure 2.

Mounted on the support ll of the frame H5 is a bed 58 including'superimposed base plates l9 and 2|]. The base plate It is fixed in any suitable manner on the support ll of the frame and is provided with slots through which feed nuts 2 I extend carried by the base plate 28. Feed shafts 22 are journaled in bearings 23 carried by the base plate IS. The feed shafts 22 are geared 'to'a drive shaft-24, as shown at 25, and the drive shaft is suitably journaled on the support I! of the frame-and is'connected to a reversible electric motor 26. Through the employment of the electric motor 2*5 the base plate 2% may be moved-endwise of the base plate H9 in either dii rection. The base plate 20 has mounted thereon a reduction gear mechanism 21 of a conventional construction to which an electric motor 23 is connected. Also connected to the reduction gear mechanism 27 is a shaft l4. Carried by the bed plate 20 and supporting the shaft [4 is a thrust bearing 29 of a conventional construction.

The reductiongear mechanism 2? and electric motor 28 are of a standard construction and the motor 28 is mounted on the base plate 20.

The base plate 20 may be limited in its end- Wise movement by the electric motor 26 through the use of switches 30 arranged on the supporting structure I! of the frame and electrically connected in circuit with the motor 26 and operated by a projection 3| carried by the base plate 20. As the base plate reaches the limit of its movement in either direction the projection 3| will operate the switches and break the circuit to the motor 26.

One end of the shaft I4 is located in the suction bell and carries a spider 32 to which may be secured two or more cutting blades 33 as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The cutting blades have the free ends thereof arranged in diverging relation and operate exteriorly of the suction bell and directly in advance of the mouth. It is to be understood that the cutting blades 33 are detachably mounted on the spider and if desired cutting blades 35 of the shape shown in Figure 9 may be employed in lieu of the blades 33, as clearly shown in Figure 5. The blades 35 are of substantially U shape having the cutting portions arranged exteriorly of the suction bell and with portions thereof operating about the exterior walls of the bell.

In operation, the suction bell and suction pipe are lowered in the water until the suction bell is in close proximity to the bottom, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The suction medium of the dredge (not shown) is then started in operation and the electric motor 28 which drives the cutting blades at the mouth of the suction bell so as to loosen gravel and other material adjacent the mouth of the bell whereby the loose material may be readily taken up by the suction from the bell. As the material passes into the bell the rotation of the blades therein acts to crush large particles and also to thoroughly agitate the material as it passes through the bell into the suction pipe. The blades coact with the ribs of the section 8 of the bell in crushing large pieces of material. The operator may at any time adjust the blades with respect to the bell by operating the motor 26. The operation of the motor 26 in one direction will advance the blades further outwardly of the mouth of the suction bell and the operation of the motor in a reverse direction will move the blades further inwardly of the suction bell.

Through the use of the blades and the power means for driving said blades in combination with a suction bell of the character described and shown will permit gravel, sand and like material to be readily taken up from the bottom of a body of water and deposited onto the dredge or a boat adjacent thereto by way of the suction pipe 6.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully set forth the construction and advantages of this invention to those skilled in the art to which such a device relates so that further detailed description will not be required.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character set forth, a suction pipe of a dredge, a suction bell carried by the free end of the pipe and including detachably connected sections with one section disposed laterally of the suction pipe and having an opening, a driven shaft journaled on the suction pipe and extending through the opening of the suction bell, a spider secured to the shaft and operating in the bell, cutters carried by the spider and extending outwardly of the bell for loosening material adjacent the bell and acting to crush material by coacting with the bell and to agitate material passing through the bell, power means for driving said shaft, and means for slidably mounting said power means to adjust said shaft endwise in opposite directions and the cutters outwardly and inwardly of the bell.

2. In a device of the character set forth, a suction pipe of a dredge, a suction bell carried by the free end of the pipe and including detachably connected sections with one section disposed laterally of the suction pipe and having an opening, a driven shaft journaled on the suction pipe and extending through the opening of the suction bell, a spider secured to the shaft and operating in the bell, cutters carried by the spider and extending outwardly of the bell for loosening material adjacent the bell and acting to crush material by coacting with the bell and to agitate material passing through the bell, a supporting frame carried by the suction pipe, a bed carried by the supporting structure and including adjustable bed plates capable of sliding relative to one another, a power means carried by one of the bed plates and connected to the shaft and including a speed reduction gear and a thrust bearing for the shaft, and means for adjusting the bed plates relative to each other.

3. In a device of the character set forth, a suction pipe of a dredge, a suction bell carried by the free end of the pipe and including detachably connected sections With one section disposed laterally of the suction pipe and having an opening, a driven shaft journaled on the suction pipe and extending through the opening of the suction bell, a spider secured to the shaft and operating in the bell, cutters carried by the spider and extending outwardly of the bell for loosening material adjacent the bell and acting to crush material by 00- acting with the bell and to agitate material passing through the bell, a supporting frame carried by the suction pipe, a bed carried by the supporting structure and including adjustable bed plates capable of sliding relative to one another, a power means carried by one of the bed plates and connected to the shaft and including a speed reduction gear and a thrust bearing for the shaft, and a power driven mechanism for adjusting the bed plates relative to each other.

4. In a device of the character set forth, a suction pipe of a dredge, a suction bell secured to said pipe and including companion sections detachably connected with each other and one of said sections being offset laterally of the suction pipe and provided with an opening, ribs formed on the internal wall of the other section, a shaft entering the opening in the offset section of the bell, power means for rotating said shaft, a spider secured to said shaft and operating in the bell, and blades detachably secured to the spider coacting with the ribs to crush materials, said blades extending outwardly of the bell and including oppO- sitely curved portions operating exteriorly of the bell.

PAUL Y. ISBELL. 

